Dale Haslam's train blog: Green light for rail work in summer

SUMMER is here, which can mean only one thing for rail users — engineering works.

July and August would just not be the same without transport bosses announcing measures seemingly designed to make it as hard as possible to get to work, and this year is no different.

Most regular passengers begrudgingly tolerate delays due to engineering works, but it is essential the agencies give timely, accurate and concise information.

On my way to work last Monday I saw a banner at Chorley station saying: ‘Due to engineering works from July 19 to August 31, buses will replace trains between Chorley and Preston’ — but then it all changed.

The next day, people were handing out leaflets at Bolton station about the works and the two-sided information sheet completely confused me.

Putting aside the spelling mistakes, the leaflet made a complete pig’s ear of explaining what will happen.

For example, it says Manchester to Blackpool and Windermere trains will be diverted away from Wigan towards Bolton but will not stop at Horwich Parkway, Chorley or Buckshaw Parkway.

That is confusing because some trains already run on that route via Bolton.

Do these changes apply to those trains too? And then it mentions a cut-off point of 6.05pm on weekdays, after which buses will replace Northern Rail trains between Bolton and Preston.

Does that mean the last train will leave Manchester at 6.05pm...or Bolton? Or the moon?

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I have been made aware that a four-page leaflet has also been drawn up and is clearer, but there has so far been no sign of it in Bolton.

Luckily, my colleague Elaine O’Flynn was able to clear it up, with clearer information printed in last Friday’s Bolton News.

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Comments (6)

It's a sign of the times of people having crap grammar and communications skills. I wouldn't pay most of them with holes from Polo mints.

It's a sign of the times of people having crap grammar and communications skills. I wouldn't pay most of them with holes from Polo mints.wsw69

It's a sign of the times of people having crap grammar and communications skills. I wouldn't pay most of them with holes from Polo mints.

Score: 2

nigella farrage says...8:56pm Mon 16 Jun 14

Bemoaning of spelling mistakes!!! Maybe Dale ought to see the Bolton News every now and again for the spelling mistakes and bad grammar! On another point..... 1. TPE will be operating Bolton to Preston via Westhoughton and Wigan and will NOT be calling at Westhoughton or Wigan - just going through! Hourly, as it is meant to be. 2. NR will operate its Blackpool service via Westhoughton and Wigan (not stopping at the stations) to Preston and then on to Blackpool! Hourly as it is meant to be 3. NR will only operate the Preston service to Chorley during daytime and peak times only (Hourly like at present) - other times there will be a rail replacement service between Bolton and Preston but the train will still run from Manchester to Bolton.

Bemoaning of spelling mistakes!!! Maybe Dale ought to see the Bolton News every now and again for the spelling mistakes and bad grammar!
On another point.....
1. TPE will be operating Bolton to Preston via Westhoughton and Wigan and will NOT be calling at Westhoughton or Wigan - just going through! Hourly, as it is meant to be.
2. NR will operate its Blackpool service via Westhoughton and Wigan (not stopping at the stations) to Preston and then on to Blackpool! Hourly as it is meant to be
3. NR will only operate the Preston service to Chorley during daytime and peak times only (Hourly like at present) - other times there will be a rail replacement service between Bolton and Preston but the train will still run from Manchester to Bolton.nigella farrage

Bemoaning of spelling mistakes!!! Maybe Dale ought to see the Bolton News every now and again for the spelling mistakes and bad grammar! On another point..... 1. TPE will be operating Bolton to Preston via Westhoughton and Wigan and will NOT be calling at Westhoughton or Wigan - just going through! Hourly, as it is meant to be. 2. NR will operate its Blackpool service via Westhoughton and Wigan (not stopping at the stations) to Preston and then on to Blackpool! Hourly as it is meant to be 3. NR will only operate the Preston service to Chorley during daytime and peak times only (Hourly like at present) - other times there will be a rail replacement service between Bolton and Preston but the train will still run from Manchester to Bolton.

Score: 0

J1Bean says...9:58pm Mon 16 Jun 14

I thought there was going to be at rain every hour from Horwich Parkway going both ways. Is that right, I saw the leaflet last week and it was very confusing

I thought there was going to be at rain every hour from Horwich Parkway going both ways. Is that right, I saw the leaflet last week and it was very confusingJ1Bean

I thought there was going to be at rain every hour from Horwich Parkway going both ways. Is that right, I saw the leaflet last week and it was very confusing

Score: -1

Lynn57 says...6:23pm Tue 17 Jun 14

The 08.55 was like a rugby scrum again this morning, if lucky enough to get on it was claustrophic and sweaty. Julie Hilling's trip to number 10 does not seem to have made any difference just yet, except that it is marginally worse.

The 08.55 was like a rugby scrum again this morning, if lucky enough to get on it was claustrophic and sweaty. Julie Hilling's trip to number 10 does not seem to have made any difference just yet, except that it is marginally worse.Lynn57

The 08.55 was like a rugby scrum again this morning, if lucky enough to get on it was claustrophic and sweaty. Julie Hilling's trip to number 10 does not seem to have made any difference just yet, except that it is marginally worse.

Score: 1

FreedomOfSpeech1945 says...8:39pm Tue 17 Jun 14

Dale Haslam. YOU NEED A WOMAN!

Dale Haslam. YOU NEED A WOMAN!FreedomOfSpeech1945

Dale Haslam. YOU NEED A WOMAN!

Score: 0

BWFC21 says...1:09pm Wed 18 Jun 14

I am a commuter into Manchester from horwich parkway. The trains are not great and its a chore on many occasions to make this commute. However these blogs are starting to drive me mad. Every attempt made to belittle everything the trains companies do. Yes there are engineering works but we have all know there was going to be a knock on effect to the electrifying of the lines. Yes we need more carriages and trains running through this line. Reading these articles seems to make my thought of the journey home even more depressing. One article several months ago you were actually praising the train staff with the way they coped and had warned of the severe weather conditions only to end the article moaning about something they had done back in December. Apologies Rant now over

I am a commuter into Manchester from horwich parkway. The trains are not great and its a chore on many occasions to make this commute. However these blogs are starting to drive me mad. Every attempt made to belittle everything the trains companies do. Yes there are engineering works but we have all know there was going to be a knock on effect to the electrifying of the lines. Yes we need more carriages and trains running through this line. Reading these articles seems to make my thought of the journey home even more depressing.
One article several months ago you were actually praising the train staff with the way they coped and had warned of the severe weather conditions only to end the article moaning about something they had done back in December.
Apologies
Rant now overBWFC21

I am a commuter into Manchester from horwich parkway. The trains are not great and its a chore on many occasions to make this commute. However these blogs are starting to drive me mad. Every attempt made to belittle everything the trains companies do. Yes there are engineering works but we have all know there was going to be a knock on effect to the electrifying of the lines. Yes we need more carriages and trains running through this line. Reading these articles seems to make my thought of the journey home even more depressing. One article several months ago you were actually praising the train staff with the way they coped and had warned of the severe weather conditions only to end the article moaning about something they had done back in December. Apologies Rant now over

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